Chapter 22: The Strange Hidden Grass Village!

After eliminating a group of enemies, the rest of the journey passed without incident, and Fujinaka Genma’s team arrived at the Hidden Grass Village without delay.

Though both were ninja villages, the Hidden Grass Village paled in comparison to the Hidden Leaf.

Even during wartime, the Hidden Leaf maintained a relatively peaceful atmosphere within its walls.

But the Hidden Grass Village gave off a restless, agitated feeling.

Yet Fujinaka Genma paid it no mind—he was merely an outsider here on a mission.

Mikura Yajuan and Sarutobi Hikari went to meet the Hidden Grass Village’s leadership, while Fujinaka Genma’s six-man team rested at the temporary base.

“Huh?”

“Why are Itachi splitting off shadow clones, Genma?”

At the base, Ebisu stared in shock at Fujinaka Genma.

“This isn’t the Hidden Leaf. We should be cautious.”

Fujinaka Genma explained briefly.

Ebisu thought for a moment and said, “Should we take turns setting up hidden sentries?”

“Ebisu, Itachi’re too naive!”

Hyuga Mio couldn’t help but say, “We’re in the Hidden Grass Village—setting up hidden sentries here would be incredibly rude.”

Ebisu’s lip twitched, and he nodded helplessly: “Mio, Itachi’re right.”

Watching this, Fujinaka Genma couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

On the other side.

Kakashi had made the same arrangements as Fujinaka Genma.

His two teammates thought it was overkill, but they were already used to Kakashi’s rigid, rule-bound habits and didn’t bother to interfere.

Kakashi offered no explanation—he simply did as he pleased.

Half an hour later, Mikura Yajuan and Sarutobi Hikari returned and began assigning tasks.

“Our mission this time is to help the Hidden Grass Village guard a secret site—we’re responsible for the outer perimeter.”

Mikura Yajuan assigned personnel: “We eight will split into three teams. Genma, Itachi and Kakashi form one team alone. The three teams will rotate guard duty.”

Clearly, this had been prearranged by Mikura Yajuan and Sarutobi Hikari—the exact same configuration as last year’s joint operation.

Fujinaka Genma had no objections; partnering with Kakashi was easy.

After assigning teams, Sarutobi Hikari spoke: “We’re in a foreign land. Even though we’re on the outer perimeter, we must remain vigilant.”

“If enemies infiltrate, we’ll be the first to face them!”

One of Kakashi’s teammates couldn’t help but say, “Sensei Hikari, isn’t it unlikely enemies could sneak in?”

“This is a ninja village!”

Sarutobi Hikari hesitated—he couldn’t directly voice his distrust of the Hidden Grass Village, since it was an ally of the Hidden Leaf—so he merely warned: “As ninja, we must consider every possibility!”

But Fujinaka Genma sensed something unusual. When the two teams split up, he asked quietly: “Sensei Yajuan, is something wrong?”

Mikura Yajuan wasn’t surprised. Back in their room, seeing Hyuga Mio and Ebisu also curious, he said: “We haven’t found anything concrete yet, but the Hidden Grass Village seems to be hiding something from us.”

“Could our intelligence have been leaked before we arrived?”

Ebisu adjusted his sunglasses and ventured a bold guess.

Fujinaka Genma patted his shoulder: “Ebisu, Itachi’ve improved a lot.”

Ebisu immediately smirked.

Mikura Yajuan smiled faintly—having smart subordinates made his job far easier, especially with Sarutobi Hikari’s team as a contrast.

“We don’t need to concern ourselves with the Hidden Grass Village’s affairs—just complete the mission!”

Mikura Yajuan instructed.

“Understood!”

…

After resting most of the day, the mission began at night.

The first half of the night, Fujinaka Genma and Kakashi were deployed.

The site to be guarded was inside the mountain behind the Hidden Grass Village—relatively easy to defend.

After discussing with Kakashi, they set up a visible and hidden position within the woods.

Fujinaka Genma took the visible post, but it was merely a shadow clone—his real body hid at a nearby observation point, monitoring the clone’s surroundings.

This cautious approach even earned quiet admiration from Kakashi, hidden in the shadows.

Not admiration for Fujinaka Genma’s cleverness—but for his chakra reserves.

During missions, especially risky ones like this, he dared not waste chakra carelessly.

Time passed slowly.

This kind of stakeout was excruciatingly dull, but Fujinaka Genma was accustomed to it. Before he knew it, it was 10 p.m.—two hours until relief.

Chirp! Chirp!

Suddenly, bird calls echoed from the woods.

Fujinaka Genma, eyes closed and hidden, instantly opened them.

The bird calls were Kakashi’s signal—his nose was sharp.

Compared to Kakashi, his sensory abilities were slightly inferior.

His gaze flashed like lightning—he saw two dark figures rapidly approaching.

One headed straight for his shadow clone, the other for Kakashi.

“Either something’s off, or there’s a sensory ninja.”

Fujinaka Genma stayed hidden, watching the enemy advance toward his shadow clone.

Clearly, it was the former.

This mission was suspicious.

Their positions—his and Kakashi’s—were known to the enemy with perfect clarity.

And yet, despite the infiltration, the Hidden Grass Village remained utterly calm.

Was the enemy too strong—or was the Hidden Grass Village too weak?

Fujinaka Genma narrowed his eyes, watching the enemy slip past the shadow clone’s blind spot and hurl concealed weapons.

Poison needles!

Puff!

Without surprise, the shadow clone collapsed.

But—

Boom! The collapsed clone turned into a log.

Substitute Technique!

Instantly, a massive fireball surged from the side, scorching grass and trees, cracking the earth.

The black-clad ninja was startled but unshaken—he retreated, leapt into the air, and landed on a branch, evading the shadow clone’s fire jutsu.

But just then—

Fujinaka Genma moved.

White lightning crackled over his body as he shot forward like a streak of white lightning, slicing through the night.

“What?”

The black-clad ninja turned to see Fujinaka Genma attacking from the side—stunned into stillness.

Fujinaka Genma moved too fast—he had no time to react properly, only to brace himself.

Ting!

The kunai split in two.

Fujinaka Genma's figure slipped past the enemy, his chakra blade effortlessly cutting through the kunai, the edge slicing beneath the man’s armpit, releasing a foul stench.

The smell of flesh and skin carbonized by high-frequency lightning blades.

“Agh!”

The black-clad ninja screamed, staggered, and the next second, a fire jutsu struck him—he became a flaming torch, falling from the branch.

It was the shadow clone’s attack.

On the other side, the ninja fighting Kakashi heard his comrade’s scream and froze: “Two brats? How are they this tough? Yamato… he…”

Panicked, and sensing more reinforcements approaching, the black-clad ninja abandoned Kakashi and retreated swiftly.

Kakashi moved to pursue, but Fujinaka Genma shouted: “Kakashi, don’t chase! Remember our mission!”

“Understood!”

Kakashi halted.

Soon, numerous Hidden Grass ninja arrived, confirmed the situation, and dispatched a group to pursue.

One of them, a jōnin with glasses, smiled warmly at Fujinaka Genma and Kakashi: “No wonder Itachi’re Hidden Leaf elites—when I was your age, I was just a clueless genin!”

Fujinaka Genma instantly wore a gentle, innocent smile: “Senior, we’re genin too.”

“The enemy only retreated because they underestimated us.”

The Hidden Grass jōnin’s smile faltered slightly, then he chuckled: “Ah, I see. Either way, we owe Itachi thanks!”

The Hidden Grass ninja quickly withdrew.

Kakashi watched their retreating backs and said: “These Hidden Grass ninja are off. Genma, we must be even more careful from now on.”

“Of course.”

Fujinaka Genma nodded.